Rose's Story- the Darkness Dragoon (part 2/10)
by Queen of the Faeries
Summary: The start of the story, starting with Rose in Hoax. Please review.


****

CHAPTER ONE: THE SERDIAN WAR

Another week has passed, and I remain undiscovered. 

I shall stay this way until I obtain the information I need. He should awaken soon.

By the gods, Dart reminds me so much of him...

I have lived a very long time. 

They are in Hoax now, a fortress that has no civilians, only knights of Basil. They are noble and kind, but weak. I turn my face in disgust. Being nice does not get you anywhere. You could be as nice as you want, but it will not save you. If you were attacked and did not know how to fight, what would you say to the bandit? "Oh please don't kill me. I'm nice"? How pathetic. And when you die, do you wish to have on your tombstone, "Here lies ******, she was 'nice'"? How futile. Being a warrior is the only way to protect yourself.

I have been sleeping in an abandoned house, knowing that I will always awaken before anyone catches me. The morning comes quickly here, and I get up and slip into my armor.

Deep dark violet is my color. First comes the long-sleeved tunic of dark indigo, and the violet gloves to protect me from blisters as I hold my heavy blade. Shorts that looks like a skirt, and then the boots. One boot is ankle high; the other is thigh high, giving me a more unique strange appearance. All my clothing is hemmed with gold, with swirling golden designs like an ancient Amazon warrior. Two headpieces, almost like horns, fit on my head. I grab my sword and creep to my normal spying spot and wait for several hours, watching. Patience I can have if I want.

Lavitz is speaking to the commander here, the head of the second Knighthood of Basil, who is a handsome man named Kaiser. They are good friends, but danger lurks in the air. I can smell it. 

I can also sense Feyrbrand around. His musk is not unfamiliar to me, and I recognize it instantly. There will be a battle, and the knights all know it. They are preparing for a battle. 

One look tells me their defense is not good at all. They will be defeated easily. I could defeat them. But then, of course, I could destroy this town and three others better guarded without any trouble. I am, after all, what I am.

Dart and Lavitz are on guard duty, watching the back of the town. I perch on one of the towers, hidden in shadows. 

Dart glances at the small quiet fortress, and turns to walk away. "We've been standing here for a few hours already, Lavitz. I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get something to eat. You want anything?" 

"Dart, how do you know the Dragon won't attack? Kaiser said that he intercepted Kandoran messages that the Dragon is going to attack the Knighthood." Lavitz protests.

"Yeah, but listen to the forest. You can hear the hooting of the nocturnal owls. That means that nothing is out of the ordinary in the forest. Everything's fine. You want something to eat?" Dart offers again.

Smart... I think before I can stop myself. 

"Yeah, sure. Bring me back anything. Be quick, okay?" Lavitz sounds casual but alert, only slightly nervous.

"Be back in a second." Dart starts down the stairs.

The owls stop hooting.

"The owls..." I can hear him mutter. "Lavitz!" 

"Sir Lavitz! Sir Kaiser!" one of the younger Knights shouts up. "The attack has begun from the front!" 

Lavitz leaps down from the guard tower, and my eyebrows lift fractionally. I have underestimated his passion. I know that the Knighthood means a lot to him. He is the perfect Knight, and a rather good fighter.

Arrows are launched from the front. I can see the Sandoran forces. Their archers are in front and their foot soldiers farther behind. But there are too less of them. Still enough to take over the fort, but not enough. The Sandoran army has much much more than this. This must only be a decoy.

I frown. One of the Sandorans is much larger than the others; almost twice my height, and I am tall for a female. He is dressed slightly like a caveman, and has two red vertical streaks on his eyes, a battle sign. He carries a thick giant blade, and looks like he could put up a good fight with me without my powers.

He is a Giganto; the 97th race created by the Divine Soa tree that gave life to everything. The only one left, probably. I know that Giganto are all extinct except for one who works for the evil Emperor Doel of the Sandoran army, named Kongol.

Dart and Lavitz are fighting him. I must give them credit for their courage; they are braver than I thought to stand up to the giant Kongol. 

They are winning, but just barely. Lavitz messes up on one of his attacks, leaving him open. Kongol knows this, and counterattacks. He has no style or class, but he has a significant amount of brute strength. He simple picks up the knight and tosses him across the street. 

Lavitz groans as he makes his way back, and by that time, Dart is charging forward, slashing at the Giganto with the carefully crafted blade. He will win this time. I can smell victory in the air for this one battle. But Hoax is doomed. 

I am too busy to realize the arrow launched at the tower I am on.

Without waiting, I allow my reflexes to take over, changing, shape shifting, rushing along the process.

As my body changes, I am already moving, cart wheeling out of the way to land inside the tower on the windowsill. The arrow flies harmlessly over my head. Reaching up an arm, I snatch it out of air and break it.

I am still changing, the pure sweetness of it rushing along every vein in my body, flowing through my muscles and blood. The Dragon blood that I possess is allowing me to transform. I push the process along faster. Utter a cry as the sweet fierce ache stretches my limbs, strengthening them even more. 

My armor changes to fit my new form. Deep violet colored, the armor is plated as it fits over me. My sword changes, more dangerous and to my color. The hilt fits my clawed gloves. Armor lines my arms and legs, and the plating at my waist flares out to protect my hips. Scarlet armor for my knees and soles of my feet, for my torso and shoulder pads. Violet-black forearm-armor that ends and sharpens at the elbow for a dangerous appearance. 

Wings sprout from my shoulder blades, two giant wings two-thirds my size. The bones are violet-edged-carmine and from them drape smaller violet bones, connected with pale green webbing. Delicate-looking wings, but very strong, strong enough to support my weight and allow me the gift of flight.

I am a Dragoon, not the warrior of a king, but a human combined with a Dragon. 

I control my wings with years of experience, pushing off the window and diving upward. I sheathe my sword and stare at the incoming barrage of arrows. 

Oh well, I've got nothing better to do. Why not help? 

I raise one hand, summoning my inner power. "Demon's Gate!" I shriek. 

Fire bursts forward from my hand in a sweeping motion and from right to left all the arrows burst into flame and disintegrate without harming their target.

Satisfied with the results, I turn back to the battle to watch Dart. 

Neither of them sees me, and Shana is inside, tending to the wounded.

Dart charges forward for the final blow, sword pulled back. 

Kongol anticipates this. Although he is weak and almost defeated, he grabs Dart before the sword comes forward and slams him to the ground. Dart lays there, stunned, sword knocked several meters away. 

Kongol picks up his own giant sword and walks up to Dart, who is cornered with nowhere to go.

"Dart!" Lavitz yells, but he is too far away to help. 

"Kongol will kill human." The Giganto says, lifting the sword above his head. 

But he is wrong. Dart is not a simple human.

I dive down, wings beating at an impossible rate even for me. My sword in front of me, I slice against the Giganto, knocking him back. I skid to a stop and turn back, slicing him again. I pause there, hovering in the air. 

I can see Lavitz staring at me. Of course, I am not human. But I turn my attention to Dart, who has climbed to his feet, gawking in awe and amazement. Surely he recognizes me from before. 

I point my sword at him, focusing my power to help him. "Wake up!" I command. "Dragoon of the Red-Eyed Dragon!" 

The red pendant around his neck begins to glow, star-like. 

"What is this?!" Dart demands, frightened and angry.

The red light washes over him. He must be afraid, transforming for the first time. I had trouble as well, the first time I tried it. The other ones had had to calm me down. The fire engulfs him.

"Dart! What's happening to you?" I hear the anxiousness in Lavitz' voice.

"I don't know!" Dart replies frantically.

When the fire disappears, Dart stands in his Dragoon form.

My eyebrows shoot way up.

Impressive...

Red is his color, as his Dragon is the Fire type. Wings like mine, only stronger looking, more masculine, and the thicker bones are completely red. Red armor plated like mine, but the thighs are unarmored, only clothed in the black thin skins again. Red boots, complete plated gloves, and forearm armor. The sword morphed as well, as it is now glowing with internal fire, more powerful. 

A giant green jewel is centered on the red chest plate. The cloth that pulls back his hair is dotted with the same emeralds. Very impressive, bringing out the fire within him. Very powerful, those wings and weapon. He will be a powerful Dragoon.

__

Oh gods, he looks just like him...

****

Dart seems to know what to do. The fire burns from the passion within him, setting him ablaze. The fire forms a more solid shape in front of the green jewel, and Dart guides it with his mind, slamming it into Kongol. 

The giant is knocked back, landing on his head and cracking the pavement. He lays still.

"Th-these are not humans! Run!" The guards all run off.

"Dart, what happened to you?" Lavitz asks.

"The knight of the Dragon. The Dragoon in you awakened." I say, landing next to Dart, and fluttering my wings once.

When the troops are gone, Shana runs out. I wince without showing it. I had forgotten about the gentler girl. "Dart! Dart, is that you? What happened?"

"Shana..." Dart stares at her as if seeing her for the first time. In Dragoon form, senses are sharpened. 

The fire in him wavers and in a flash of red light, the Dragoon vanishes. Dart, dressed in the normal red armor, crumbles to the ground, falling forward, face in the dirt. 

"Dart?" Lavitz yells.

"Seeing Shana...made me relieved..." Dart mumbles, and loses consciousness.

I step forward out of the shadows, moving to pick up Dart.

Shana dashes protectively in front of him, and I snatch my hand back to avoid it getting slapped. "Get away from him!" She says, looking at my wings with frightened brown eyes.

I realize I have not fallen out of Dragoon form yet, and closing my titanium colored eyes, I will it so, and I can feel the dark violet light washing over me. I am now back to normal.

"Who-what are you?" The girl named Shana asks.

"Someone who is trying to help Dart. You must get him inside." I say in my cold breathy voice like a whisper of wind. I never raise my voice.

"You-" 

"That's what we were going to do anyway, Shana. Come on, give me a hand." Lavitz bends and strains to pick up Dart, and after hesitating for half a second, Shana helps.

Hoax is destroyed, burned and crumbling, houses with walls but no roofs, but this one house is still intact most of the way. They place Dart on the bed, and Shana runs to get a cold compress.

"Who are you?" She asks, once Dart is comfortable. Lavitz stands to one side, leaning against a shaky cabinet, observing.

"That is none of your business. I will answer only to Dart." I say, turning slightly so I will not have to look at her. She is far prettier than I am, with a more emphasized figure. Of course Dart would choose her over me. 

Now they are both staring at me. I know I still look dangerous. It is something I cannot change. I cannot change the snow-like fair skin and the flowing jet-black hair. I cannot change the mysterious aura of danger that I carry; the warning signs that make others steer away. 

Shana and I glare at each other. I do not like her. She is too close to Dart, and she is too sweet for her own good. She will end up getting hurt. 

"What did you do to Dart?" She demands.

"I saved his life." I answer smoothly. "I should be thanked so why do I have to be yelled at?" 

Dart groans and blinks and sits up. 

"Dart! You're all right!" Shana turns her attention to him.

The red-clad warrior gets up, shaking his head. He looks at Shana, then at Lavitz, and finally at me. "Oh. It's you..." he says. His eyes flash from pale blue to dark blue to black.

I nod once.

"You know her?" Shana asks.

"Yes. She's the warrior that saved me before from the Dragon. Her name is..." Dart trails off.

I step in. "My name is Rose." I hold out my hand, and he shakes it. He has a firm grip. "I am a Dragoon, as are you."

"I'm not too sure of everything..." Dart says. "Will you please explain?"

I nod. "Dragoons are spirits that are basically humans mixed with Dragon blood. 20,000 years ago, the Divine Soa tree created 108 races. Giganto, the one you fought outside was the 97th, Dragons were the 105th, humans were the 106th, and Winglies were the 107th. The Winglies enslaved the humans, and 11,000 years ago, the war broke out, called the Dragon Campaign. The humans enlisted the help of the Dragons, and seven of them became Dragoons, fighting against the Winglies. Humans won, and the Winglies retreated. Dragoon spirits have been passed down ever since." I point one long manicured fingernail at the pendant around his neck.

"I never thought my father's gift would be something like this..." Dart says softly.

I look away. _Of course you didn't. I don't know how you got the pendant though. It was supposed to be his. He was so mysterious and charming and wonderful. Just like you, Dart, in a way. _

"Thank you for saving me." Dart says.

****

I wave my hand once in dismissal. "I did it because I wanted to. You and your friends intrigue me."

"How did you know we were here?"

"I followed you since that first day."

Dart raises his eyebrows, Shana's face changes, and Lavitz smiles.

A frantic voice comes from outside. "Sir Lavitz! The Eleventh Knighthood in the Marshland is under attack!" 

"What! Let's go!" Lavitz runs out.

Shana follows, but after she makes sure that Dart leaves first. She does not trust me with him. I walk after them. I never run or rush anywhere; it is just not in my style. My ways are more fluid but prowling, like a dark-furred panther.

Outside, Hoax has turned to daytime. Kaiser comes up, one hand clutching at his ribs.

"Lavitz! The Eleventh Knighthood is under attack! You must go help them!" he turns to Dart and me. "You two...I saw what you did. You two are Dragoons. Please help them. You are the only ones with enough power... Lavitz, please help..."

"We will help in whatever way we can. I will do everything I can to prevent more bloodshed." Dart promises.

"And I will go with Dart." I vow. Shana throws me a dirty look; she believes I am rivaling her.

"Thank you." Kaiser falls down on one knee, a great gesture of respect, especially for a Knight. "Please help." He bows and limps off. 

"We must help them. Now." Lavitz begins to run toward the marshland. He really does love Basil and all its citizens and Knights. I can see it in his speed and anxiety, and also in his eyes. The deadly green glow in his eyes tells me that he is more determined than ever. And that tells me that he and the King must be good friends. He will save him at the cost of his own life.

Dart grabs him in time, snagging his collar and jerking him to a stop. "Wait, Lavitz. We're not ready yet. We will have to fight once we get there. We must prepare first. You and Shana go to buy the armor and weapons we may need."

"All right." Although still anxious, Lavitz walks off to the item shop with Shana.

Dart turns to me. "Teach me about being a Dragoon?" 

It takes four hours for him to perfect it, quicker than others are. He is strong, knocking me back several times, but I do not show pain. The stars will disappear on the night that I show weakness! My comments are all condescending, telling him to get with it and be stronger even though I grow weak with his attacks.

When everything is finally all right, we leave Hoax.

"Dart, after we leave, I will look at you as a full-fledged Dragoon and will not help you in battle. If you have any questions, you must ask them now." I say.

"I am fine." He replies. "Let's move out." he is the leader of the group. 

I walk in front, and Shana in back. It would be dangerous to leave us together, two women after the same man. Dart walks beside me in battle formation, scanning what I may miss, which is impossible.

He reminds me so much of him. Someone I knew once before, someone that I knew very well. My long lost love that died, and with him, a large part of my heart died as well. I would never love again.

****

And yet Dart reminds me of him... perhaps that is why I am in love with him.

I am not one to deny feelings although I try to stop them. But love has bloomed in me, and I cannot deny it or push it away, only try to delay it.

The walk to the marshland is long. I watch everyone's battle's techniques up close. Lavitz is a master with his lance, thrusting in all the right places at the right time with the right attack. Dart of course, is the perfect warrior, although he does make mistakes. Shana is weaker than I thought. She has no further attacks, only the bow. But something about her is strange...

I narrow dark silver eyes at the large crocodile monster in front of me and rush forward, slashing my sword to the side at the last instant. "Whip Smack!" I breathe the name of my powerful attack in a rough furry voice.

I am the most powerful out of the entire group, and the crocodile disappears in a haze of red, as do all monsters in battle. 

Afterwards, I find that Shana is looking at me strangely. Not with the same hostility and jealousy she showed before because she thought I was pursuing Dart, but now with an awe and respect as if recognizing me as a warrior.

I nod once at her to show that I do not wish her as an enemy either, to show that I acknowledge her, and we continue on our way.

The marshland is humid and damp and smelling heavily of sweat and hunting. I do not let my emotions show on my face; I never have and never will. Especially not in front of these strangers, and Dart. 

Shana pauses as we walk down a muddy path.

Dart stops. "What's wrong?" he asks her. 

She shakes her head, brown hair spilling over her delicate shoulders. "My foot got stuck in the mud. That's all." 

"Do you need help?" The warrior asks her, walking toward her.

"No. I'm fine. See?" She grimaces as she tugs on her foot, yanking it out of the mud. She winces as she begins to walk.

"You've sprained your ankle." Dart states, not in a question. He walks up to her and turns around, bending down. "Hop on. I'll give you a piggyback ride." 

"But it's embarrassing..." Shana protests.

"You used to love them back when we were little, remember?" Dart says, sounding almost hurt, and Shana climbs on carefully. I wonder if she really did sprain her ankle, or if she is just trying to get Dart's attention. It does not take a smart person to figure out that she is in love with him.

As they walk back toward Lavitz and I, I hear Shana speaking. "I'm such trouble, aren't I?"

"I don't think so." Dart's voice is warm and comforting.

"I can't do anything right. And I'll never be a good a fighter as Rose is." Shana murmurs, her cheek pressing against Dart's back.

"Don't compare yourself to her. You are yourself. She is an entirely different person." Dart says. 

"..."

"Let's rest for a while until Shana's ankle gets better." Dart suggests, placing the petite girl on a rock. She shifts awkwardly, placing one hand on her ankle and starting to take her leather boot off.

"Don't take it off." I warn her.

She looks at me with surprise, and then hurt, and then a glare. "Don't worry. It doesn't smell."

I toss my hair over my shoulder. "I was trying to help. If you take your boot off, your ankle will swell." 

Shana seems surprised that I am helping her, and she leaves the boot on.

Dart sits on a sturdy tree branch across from Lavitz. The blonde Knight settles himself on a rock with a groan, even though he is still young. I estimate that he is just nearing the thirty years mark.

I do not sit. I lean against the relatively clean trunk of a tree. 

Lavitz begins the conversation. "I just realized something. We don't know a lot about each other except for the fact that we're all friends."

__

Yeah, friends, I'm sure. I think. _What a dumb word._

"Let's explain ourselves. You're the newest, so why don't you start, Rose?" he hesitates on my name, and I do not blame him. Rose is such a simple and beautiful name for a woman as mysterious and dangerous as me. 

****

I shrug. "What can I say?"

"Then tell us about Dragoons."

That is a topic I understand. "There are only seven Dragoons spirits that have been passed down, each with their own element. There are seven elements as well. Dart is the master of the Red-Eyed Dragon of Fire. I am the master of the Dragon of Darkness, Michael. The other elements are water, wind, light, earth, and thunder. Each Dragoon has that element on their side."

An uneasy silence fills the air. Silence does not bother me; it is my friend.

However, it seems Lavitz is troubled. "Can you tell us more? Not about the Dragoons, but about yourself. Like where are you from?"

"Endiness."

"Endiness is the entire planet, Rose. Of course you are from here. Okay, different question. How old are you?"

His question amuses me. If I were to tell the truth, they would be knocked over. "How old do you think I am?" 

Lavitz considers my question. "Before when you swooped out of the sky, I would have said you seemed a bit over thirty. When you landed, you looked like a teenager. When you were speaking to us, I would have bet that you were twenty. So I would guess that you are a bit over twenty."

"Then that is how old I am. It is for myself to know and no one else." I reply with a mysterious glint in my eyes.

Lavitz gives up trying to speak to me and turns to Shana. "Shana?"

"I'm the daughter of the Mayor of Seles, and I knew Dart since childhood. The Sandorans, because of some reason I don't know, recently captured me. It is Sandorans, right, Lavitz?"

"That is correct. The geography of this planet is complicated. The planet itself is called Endiness, and it is split into four continents. One is Tiberoa, a hot rocky continent with wonderful towns. Another is Gloriano, where the Dragon Campaign was fought, and where the Death Frontier is. The third is the mysterious continent of Mille Seaseu. And the one we are on is Serdio. For the past twenty years, Serdio has been divided. One side is the Sandorans, led by Emperor Doel, fighting to overtake the other country Basil, which is led by his nephew His Majesty King Albert. This war has been going on for twenty years, the Serdian War." Lavitz shakes his head. "I am the first Knight to His Majesty Albert, and will fight by his side for as long as this horrid war goes on."

I almost scoff my contempt. _You think twenty years is a long time to fight? The Dragon Campaign took all of a century and more..._

Lavitz continues to speak. "I wanted to be a Knight ever since I was a child. My father held the first Knighthood before me, a sworn ally of the King Carlo. By the time he died, Albert became King, and I became the first Knight. My father was killed as well. His best friend, his sworn brother, betrayed him... turning against him." 

****

Dart must have sensed the sudden amount of hatred and spite in the air, even though it is harmless from gentle Lavitz. "Come on, let's move out. Shana, is your ankle better?"

The girl stands up and gingerly applies pressure. "Yeah. I'm fine now. Let's go!" She runs ahead of everyone else. As usual, I lag behind, twitching my sword in my grip. 

The battle by the marshland is almost over by the time we reach there. The few remaining Knights are battling the few remaining Sandoran soldiers, swords clashing with thunder-creating clangs. 

We all leap into battle, helping out various Knights. I do not even see whom I am helping. It is not the charity that I am doing this for; it is the simple bloodlust and deaths of the opponent.

I parry a soldier's thrust, kicking straight out with my left leg, the one with the thigh high boot, striking him in the chest with a heel and knocking him into the marsh. He hits his head on the log and stays motionless. I do not care whether he is alive or not.

I do not wait to hear the Knight's words of gratitude. I move on to the next soldier.

I had hoped that the battle would be more interesting. I wish to see more competition. _Any_ competition at all would be nice. I slash the soldier's torso, and knock him aside.

When I finish the battles, silence reigns, and the smell of blood and fear reeks the air. There is something disgusting about human fear; it stinks. 

"Let's go inside." Dart says quietly, gesturing to the tiny fortress that is decorated like a castle.

Inside I immediately recognize with my stronger senses the venomous poison of the jade Dragon Feyrbrand. The Dragon must have attacked here, not at Hoax where they thought he would be. 

No one else seems to notice the poison, or the misty greenness hovering in the air, except maybe for Dart, who pauses several times but does not comment. He turns toward me once as if for confirmation, but I keep my face blank, an art I have mastered over my years.

"Sir Lavitz..." One of the fallen knights groans.

Lavitz cradles the man's head in his lap. "What happened here?" Dead bodies litter the floors and blood stains the tiles.

"The Dragon...attacked...please help..." 

I wander off, leaving the rest of them to see what to do with the dying man. I search the tiny fortress. There is almost no place to go. I cannot smell Feyrbrand's scent. He must have left a while ago. I will confront him with my own Dragoon and see what happens. And Dart will be there to help with the Red-Eyed Dragoon Spirit.

When I return, all the men are already dead. Dart is checking their corpses. "There's no sign of injury. Is this poison?" he shakes his head. Obviously, he does not like the dead, although the sight does not bother me in the least. Of course, he would hate battle after what had happened to him when he was a child.

He turns to one of the fallen Sandorans. "The dead have no allies or enemies. Rest in peace." He closes the burly man's eyes, and turns to face us all. "We must go to the Dragon's Nest and confront the Dragon."

This I will have to see... Perhaps I will stay with this odd party a bit longer. I must try to figure out this mystery with Dart. And I have my own reasons, anyway...

The Dragon's Nest is far away, past a volcano, which we must cross. The temperature rises, but not to a dangerous point. 

"This is the Volcano Villude. We'll need to cross to reach the Nest." Lavitz informs the others. "Be careful. I hear there's a nasty monster in there." 

The minor monsters scattered around are simple. It takes only one slash to kill them. Even Shana is over-confident as she launches arrow after arrow. 

But as we enter a large lava-filled room, Shana stops walking, pausing on one of the sturdy rocks. "Oh..."

"What's wrong, Shana?" 

"There's a voice...it's calling me. I have to go." She stands and moves as if in a trance.

"Wait! Shana!" Dart pins her arms at her side, immobilizing her. 

"Let me go, Dart. I have to listen to the voice." Shana breaks out of his grip, and leaps over the rocks onto the larger platform, darting down a lit corridor out of our sight.

"Shoot." Dart swears. "Come on, let's follow her." 

Shana did not walk far. She is standing right there, gazing at a massive pile that I recognize. "The voice stopped...?" she says almost wistfully. "Where did it go?"

__

Is this girl magical? Does she have some connection to this 'voice' that she is speaking about? There is something strange about her. I knew it from the beginning. But she is no Dragoon...that much I know.

****

"Shana? Is this what was calling you?" Dart gestures to a grayish bulk with an arm protruding from the lava. An arm with six claws.

The girl shakes her head. "I don't know. But when I came here...the voice stopped."

The thing she is looking at is large. Two long-armed claw-like hands and an enormous rectangular head with no eyes or nose or mouth, with green orbs along the sides of its head.

"What is that thing?" Dart echoes, and then walks toward it. 

"Don't!" Shana screams. "Don't go near it! I feel...something's wrong." She holds her arms around her sides as if she is cold, which is impossible at the mouth of a volcano. 

"Listen to Shana." I say. "This Virage is still alive."

"Virage?" Lavitzs echoes.

"Oh, you don't know about it? Let me explain. The Winglies manipulated these creatures during the Dragon Campaign. Somehow, this one survived 11,000 years." I explain.

"That should be impossible." Lavitz says.

__

Oh, is it? 

****

Shana does not take her eyes away from the Virage even as I speak. "It probably remained alive because of its hatred against humans, or a personal vendetta against us Dragoons."

The volcano starts to shake.

"Is this an eruption of the volcano?" Lavitz wonders frantically out loud. 

"No." I say. "Observe the Virage." 

The monster has begun to move. The clawed hands twitch, and it emits a groaning sound as it sits up. This Virage is missing the lower half of its body, so it simply floats in the lava. The green orbs, its sensors that work as eyes, focus on us. 

Did Shana awaken the Virage? I wonder, unsheathing my sword. 

"Rose, what are its weaknesses?" Dart yells over the sound of rushing lava and groaning Virage. 

"Its body can succumb to anything a human can. Its defense and offense is simply stronger due to how it is shaped. It has an ultimate attack called Beam Laser." I answer mechanically.

__

I am not just a simple information girl. I can fight better than any of you. I will show you. 

****

"Look out!" Lavitz yells, and Dart rolls out of the way to avoid being struck by a laser that scorches the ground and stirs up a miniature hurricane of dust that quickly diminishes. 

"Was that its ultimate attack?" Lavitz asks.

"Not even close." I answer in my cold tone, which, no matter how loud the surrounding noises are, can always be heard. I rush forward, drawing my sword back. "Hard Blade!" 

I trace a complicated figure with the blade on the Virage, casting a spell during the process. Now it will be easier to fight, but the others will not know. Also because this Virage does not have a full body, it is much weaker.

"Crush Dance!" Dart spins like a dancer, slashing the Virage with every rotation. He moves swiftly and precisely with his body built like a dancer, just like him. 

__

Oh gods...

****

"Spinning Cane!" Lavitz runs forward with his attack. Although he is not as lithe and perfect as Dart, he is still a great warrior. I would like to spar against him sometime.

Shana sits this battle out. In her eyes is a captivated look as she stares at the Virage. Her weapon is not even in her hand. It is like her mind is somewhere else entirely. 

"Crush Dance!" Dart takes his turn again.

The Virage shifts slightly, causing the ground to shake. Beam Laser it broadcasts its next move telepathically for everyone to hear.

"Guard!" Dart orders, and I lift my arms to shield my head.

The Beam Laser is exactly as I imagined it. My body is used to being attacked with this now, and it has built up some sort of resistance so that the attack does half the damage to me than it does to Dart and Lavitz.

"Die!" I utter as I run forward, slashing multiple times, creating dripping wounds. "More and More!" 

It is Dart that delivers the final blow, running forward and smashing into the Virage with his foot instead of his sword, knocking the ancient monster back from the impact. 

The Virage teeters for a moment, and then falls back into the lava, sending up a wall of the flaming liquid. 

"Oh, God!" Lavitz exclaims as he ducks back so that the lava does not scald his face. "Look out!" 

I walk forward very calmly to look into the pit. 

The Virage is sinking below the surface of the fire now, disappearing once again. I blink. I would smile if I still knew what 'smile' meant.

Another spray of lava shoots up, and Dart pauses from his retreat. "Rose! Run!" 

I am unafraid of the Virage, unlike the rest of them. I turn and walk calmly back to the group. I know I look very dramatic, my darkness silhouetted against the brightness of the fire.

"That was too close." Lavitz pants.

Shana seems to be out of her trance now. She remembers what happened, but she does not bring it up. 

"HELP! Anyone help! Please!"

Dart pauses from dusting off his armor. "Who said that?" 

"Help!" a male's voice, it seems, coming from the exit path.

Everyone runs off to help whomever it is. I follow, not rushed. 

There is a man hanging there on the side of the cliff above a river of lava. Whether the sweat on his skin is from fear or from the heat I do not know. His gaudy purple and gold clothes have snagged on several branches, saving his life for the moment. 

"Help! Hey, is someone there?" The merchant calls.

"Oh my God! Hold on!" Dart dashes forward and grabs the merchant's flailing arms. Shana runs up and wraps her arms around Dart's waist, and Lavitz does the same to her. "Pull!" 

They strain to lift the merchant back on; one latched onto the other. It seems so comical. 

When the merchant is safe, everyone stands up, panting. I stand off to the side. 

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you ever so much!" The merchant shakes each of their hands. "I am Dabas, a merchant from the commercial town of Lohan. I came to the Villude because I heard there was a rare gem here. But I fell off the cliff. I thank you for saving my life." 

"It was no problem." Shana says. She seems to handle the social events.

"If you have time, you should drop by at Lohan." Dabas bows. "Thank you." he runs off, purple clothes bright in the light.

Awkward confused silence follows him, and then all three of them burst out laughing. 

I watch with unblinking eyes. Strange how laughter changes someone. I had thought that Lavitz was one of those serious knights that knew how to fight and talk small talk, but never actually laughed. Now he has his arms around his stomach, gasping for air. 

And Shana is even prettier when she laughs, revealing perfect white teeth. Her feather soft hair floats around her face. Indeed I could never compare with her. No wonder Dart prefers her.

Dart is laughing as well, a deep-throated chuckling. This is oddly similar to the laugh of the one that I know, my lost love. His dark blue eyes sparkle with light as he laughs.

We used to laugh a lot too, together.

When he gets his breath back, he waves his hand. "Come on. We're almost there. Let's continue on to the Dragon's Nest..."

It is a short walk from the volcano to the Dragon's Nest, so we did not have to walk far. It was still very damp and marsh-like, but at least there were no swamps to leap over.

Giant spider webs looped around tree branches, and mutated monsters roamed around as we entered.

"This is it. We'll have to find the Nest now." Dart announces.

Shana falls to her knees. 

"Shana! Are you all right?"

"I think she's affected from the poison in the air." Lavitz says. "We will not be able to stay here much longer as well. We must quickly complete our task. Shana must be more sensitive to it than we are."

"I'm fine. I just need a rest, that's all." Shana insists, running off.

"Hey, Shana!" Dart calls. "Wait!"

Here we go again. Always chasing after her. 

We find her sitting on a patch of clean grass. A giant plant wavers several meters behind her, a hideous dark mushroom, but no one notices it except me. 

"Shana, are you okay?" Dart asks.

"Yeah," She forces a smile. "I just have a dizzy headache, that's all. I'll be okay. Let's go." 

"Are you sure?" Lavitz questions.

"Yeah, I'm positive. Let's go. Do you know the way?"

Dart and Lavitz exchanges glances, then shake their heads. I sigh silently, without moving. "It's that way." I point with my sword, sniffing the delicate little sniffs of a cat. No one sees me change, not ever. My expression and reactions are always slight. "I smell Feyrbrand's scent that way." 

Although they all look at me strangely, Dart follows my directions and leads the way down the right path.

The path is covered in moss and spider webs, reeking of monster scents and Feyrbrand's poison. The poison only makes me slightly ill, as if I wish to throw up, but it does not affect me like it does Shana, who is trying very hard to smile and keep up like she is perfectly fine. She really does care about Dart, although from what I see, and what I heard Lavitz say, he looks at her as a baby sister. 

A giant spider web stretches over a large pit ten feet in diameter. Although I could easily leap it with or without Dragoon form, the others probably cannot. Besides...I sniff again. Feyrbrand is down there.

So I allow Dart to walk onto the spider web, which strains and creaks until all four of us are on it, then snaps with a delicate sound. The floor drops out from under us. 

"Oh shoot!" Dart yells.

Luckily, the ground is not too far down. Everyone lands safely and without harm. I stand up and dust myself off.

Shana is kneeling in front of a shimmering pool. "Dart? What is this?"

The warrior walks up to the pool and leans in, his fingers disturbing the gentle surface. "Oh. This...I feel much better. It must be a regenerating pool. They work like rock fireflies. They heal you and abnormal statuses. Everyone try this, and then we'll get on our way."

I am the only one that does not do so. "I don't need it." I say. 

The path to the Jade Dragon is a maze of winding tunnels and blockades. It takes us twenty minutes just to find a path that does not lead to a dead end. 

"Another blockade." Lavitz calls, staring at the barrage of plants. 

These plants bar the way down the paths. They look much like seaweed, only they are packed tightly together, making it impossible to even push. 

"Step aside. I'll do it." I offer, but my voice makes it impossible for me to sound gentle. 

Lavitz wisely sidesteps to stand by Dart, and I pull my sword back. Quickly and silently, I slash the blade across the plants, making them wither and crumble. 

There is a slight pause. "Thanks, Rose." Dart finally says, and makes a motion with his hand. "Let's go." 

"The poison's getting worse." Lavitz says, making a face. "I can smell it stronger."

__

That is because Feyrbrand is up ahead. I think. _I suppose we're ready to confront him. I wonder who his master is? _

"I think we'll be meeting the Dragon soon." Dart says. "Somehow I can smell it. I don't know; somehow being a Dragoon makes my senses stronger. I can smell Feyrbrand. He's up ahead. Everyone make sure you're ready for battle." 

**__**

I'm always ready for battle. I think, shifting slightly. _As was he, Dart. He was the best warrior I ever met. Except maybe for you. You remind me so much of him. I think I see him in you. Could that even be possible?_

My love...you died years ago...and with you died my heart.

****

I snap myself out of my trance just in time so I can walk along with the others without someone calling my name. That never happens to me. I do not draw attention or ask help in any way.

The door up ahead has a Dragon carved into the frame. I trace the sculpture with my finger, trailing along the delicately carved wings. 

"Do you know that one, Rose?" Shana asks.

"Yes. He is the one we are searching for right now. He is in the room up ahead. He is the Jade Dragon of the Wind, Feyrbrand." I answer. "Each Dragoon has a master. I wonder who his master is?" 

We proceed inside the door. All my nerves are standing on end. My body knows that something is wrong. Feyrbrand is near, but I cannot see him. All I see is a man sitting on an elegant marble throne on the far side of the room. This is no throne room, as it is messy and unpolished, but it is decorated along the lines, and the man sits as if trying to imitate a king.

I narrow my eyes. There is something about him that is dark and wary. He looks normal enough, wearing armor and holding a spear. But he is smiling, as if he has been expecting us. That would not be impossible. We have been calling our attacks and making weapon clashes as we destroyed the blocking plant walls. 

Dart and Shana are both alert for battle, but Lavitz seems affected by this person. He steps forward, and his knuckles are white from clenching his weapon so hard. "Greham!" he yells furiously.

"Lavitz. So glad you could make it." The man called Greham stands and bows mock-politely.

"You betrayed my father and caused his death!" Lavitz accuses. "You will pay for that!" 

"I think not." A flash of green light momentarily blinds my vision, and then Greham stands there, clothed in the armor of the Dragoon of the Jade Dragon Feyrbrand. He must have been the green-tusked Dragon's new master.

"You're a Dragoon?!" Lavitz says, in disbelief.

"This is the power I obtained!!"

"Obtaining a Dragoon Spirit is not easy. How did you learn of it?" I demand.

"It is surprising that there is someone in Basil that still knows about it. Fine. You will know before you die. Emperor Doel is acting under the orders of the Emperor Diaz."

__

Emperor Diaz!?!

****

I shake my head frantically. "Impossible. Emperor Diaz died over ten thousand years ago, with the army of the Imperial Gloriano." I say coldly.

"Then how do you explain the power you are about to see?"

A rhythmic thumping sound comes along and then a giant green-tusked Dragon enters from the large space behind Greham, roaring. Shana flinches, no doubt realizing that the poison came from this Dragon.

"This is Feyrbrand, my Jade Dragon. Attack!" 

In this battle, it is the four of us versus Greham and Feyrbrand. 

Feyrbrand used to be a powerful warrior back then. His master was wonderful, always making jokes to lighten the darkness of the war. His master was a scholar, teaching things to the rest of the Dragoons. Everyone respected Feyrbrand, who was second in command only to the Red-Eyed Dragon.

Greham is more powerful than his Dragon is, and his attacks devastating. Therefore, we attack him first, launching arrows and lances and slashing swords. 

As I watch, I realize that the way Dart fights is also very similar to my love's skills. What is their connection? Has he been reborn in Dart? And why can't I tear myself away from this odd little group?

Despite his rough attacks, Greham fell easily. "Ugh. I got a deep gash. You'll still have to face my Dragon!" He spreads the green Dragon wings and flutters back to sit on his throne, breathing labored.

"Whip Smack!" I cry, rushing up to the Dragon.

"Feyrbrand, Jade Dragon, forgive us." I whisper. I am apathetic to everything but the Dragons. I care for them, because there are few left.

Feyrbrand finally falls a few minutes later, bowing his head in humble defeat. Red blood gushes from several scars running along its insect-like body. I look away, not in revulsion but in pity.

Greham is dying as well, lying on the stone steps up to the throne. Lavitz walks carefully up to him and takes his head in his lap. Enemy or friend, he has pity for the dying.

"I...I am sorry I turned against you." Greham says through bleeding lips. "I wanted to defeat your father. He was always better than me, excelling in everything. I wanted to beat him. So I acquired the Dragoon, and I betrayed him. I figured if he wasn't there, I could be the best..." he sighs wistfully. "Now I see that I was wrong... Lavitz, you are everything your father Servi would have wanted you to be. Be proud, Leader of the first Knighthood, and serve the King Albert well."

With that, he slumps over, spurting blood, his body going limp.

Lavitz places his head down carefully. "Rest in peace, Sir Greham."

"He is lucky to be dead now." I say. "Greed for power leads to fear. This fear leads to sorrow. Now his sorrow is over."

I watch this carefully; listening as Feyrbrand shrinks into a glowing green light, entering his home in the pendant that Greham wore around his neck. What will happen to the Dragon now?

But instead of dimming, the green Wind pendant glows brighter, and lifts off of Greham gently, barely disturbing the dark hair, hovering several meters in the air. 

I frown.

The pendant glows star-like, and lowers itself gently around Lavitz' neck. 

The Jade Dragon chose Lavitz to be its Master.

"What is this?" Lavitz doesn't sound annoyed or angry, just curious and interested.

"That is the Dragoon Spirit of the Jade Dragon, Feyrbrand. You are its new master. You are the Dragoon of the Wind." I announce. "Odd that now there are three Dragoons is this little team."

"I understand. I accept this power. I will use this power for justice!" Lavitz declares. "Just like Dart and Rose?"

Use for justice? Hah!

Shana steps forward, smiling. Her creamy skin is flushed with heat. "Congratulations, Lavitz." She says cheerfully, and her face changes. From warmth and joy to confusion and dazed to terror and pain. Her legs tremble, and she crumbles to the ground, face down.

"Shana!" Dart yells. He and Lavitz bend down by her. "Shana, what's wrong?"

Lavitz reaches out a hand and checks for a pulse. "She's alive, but she's unconscious. I think that she has some very negative effect to the dragon poison. We need to get her to a doctor right away."

"We can't go back over the Villude carrying Shana. So we have to go forward to Lohan." Dart replies. "Let's go. Rose, come on." he picks up Shana's petite frame in his arms and looks around. "Where's the path?"

"Up." I point. "Climb."

Using several strips of leather from the brown belts and excess armor, the two create a sort of harness on Dart's back so that he can carry Shana and leave his arms free to climb.

I am the first one up. "The commercial town of Lohan." I read a sign and point. "To the southwest." 


End file.
